All it took was six minutes. In a span of just a half-dozen minutes, the Crew found itself down 3-0 to the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night.
In the 25th minute of the match, Union midfielder Brian Carroll's shot from distance took an unlucky deflection off Crew defender Eric Gehrig and past 'keeper Andy Gruenebaum to give the home team a 1-0 lead in the Black & Gold's visit to PPL Park. From there, it snowballed as the Union added goals from Sheanon Williams and Conor Casey within the next five minutes.
"That was a really lethargic performance, especially in the first half," Warzycha stated in his post-match press conference. "I think the first goal was a joke and then we couldn't do anything more."
Added Gruenebaum: "It seemed like the first bit of the game, we had a bit of control. Then a lucky deflection off of [Carroll's] shot, then after that it just seemed that we lost composure for the next 15-20 minutes or whatever it was. It just seemed like that little bit killed us.
"We were never able to get back in it."
In their second match without an injured Eddie Gaven and now missing Jairo Arrieta due to international duty, the Black & Gold attack failed to create the chances it had in the past few matches. The Crew was only able to get four shots on frame, none of which seemed to trouble Union netminder Zac MacMath.
The Black & Gold will have a full week to reassess things before facing the Chicago Fire in the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup next Wednesday and hosting the first-place Montreal Impact on June 15.
"We're really disappointed about it and just want to forget about it, get ready for the next one," forward Dominic Oduro said.
Added Gruenebaum: "This one hurts a little bit and we have to try to re-focus because there's a lot of soccer to be played. To pack it in at this point would be stupid.
"We have to regroup and find our way again."
